Seal.



w. L. KELLY.

SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED Dic. I. 1915.

Patented Apr. 11,1916.

III/M.

A TTORIVEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPIII co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

WILLIAM L. KELLY, F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.'

SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1i, 191e.

AppIication led December 1, 1915. Serial N o. 64,466.

To all whom t may concern vBe it known that I, WILLIAM L. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented an Improvement in Seals.

This invention is an improvement in seals and has particular reference to a car or package seal.

It is proposed to provide a device of this character which is preferably made from a' single sheet of metal formed into a housing and locking device which, after being locked, cannot be opened without tearing or mutilating the same.

The device further embodies a structure of eXtreme simplicity which fact minimizes the cost of manufacture, and enhances the commercial value of the article.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expres sions, some of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of one of the seals constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in open position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same in closed or locking position. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a somewhat similar construction to that shown in Fig. 1.

The drawing illustrates what are now thought to be preferred embodiments of the device in which the same comprises a single strip of any suitable metal such as iron or steel shaped to provide a housing generally indicated by the numeral 5. This housing is formed at one end of the strip and consists of an outer portion 6 composed of sides 7 and ends 8. The housing further consists of an inner portion 9 having the sides l() and inner end 11, said inner portion being adapted to be folded on the line 12 so that the sides thereof will be received between the sides 7x of the outer portion, as best shown in Fig. 3. The sides 7 are of sufficient depth to permit the longitudinal edges thereof to be bent over the .longitudinal edges of the inner portion 9 as indicated at 13 in Fig. 3 whereby the parts will be retained in locking position. At the end 8 of the outer portion 6 opposite to that end upon which the portion 9 is formed the Inaterial is thickened as best shown in Fig. 2

so as to admit of said end being bent with-v out decreasing the e'liciency ofthe device and said end is made of a considerably greater depth than the other end of the portion 6. A continuation of the thickened end 8 provides an elongated strap 14 which is In practice, when it is desired to employl this seal to lock a package, car or the like, the strap 14 is bent, as shown in Fig. 2, and the extremity thereof is inserted through an elongated sloty 18 formed in the thickened end 8 of the portion 6 until the shoulders 16 contact with said thickened end, and also through a similar slot 19 in the end 11 of the portion 9, said latter slot registering with the slot 18 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2. The end 'of the strap 14 is then further inserted into the housing until the locking lug 17 is entirely within said housing. When the structure shown in Fig. 1 is employed a' suitable tool, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, may be inserted through an opening 20 formed in the portion 9 and said lug forced downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 whereupon the same will engage the inner face of the end 11 of the portion 9.and preventthe eX- tremity of the strap from being withdrawn from the housing. The eXtreme end of the strap 14 projects through a slot 21 in the outer end 8, said slot being in alinement with the slots 18 and 19. When a resilient material is used, the locking lug or tongue 17 will automatically assume the position shown in Fig. 2 thus obviating the necessity of employing a tool or other means to adjust the same to its locking position.

What is claimed is 1. A seal composed of a single strip of metal bent at one endto provide a housing consisting of outer and inner portions, the former including sides and ends, the latter having alined slots therein and joined to one of the ends of said outer portion and including a top, sides and one end which is pro-V portion of the housing and extending'- through said contiguous and registering openings in oneend of the housing and also through the opening in the other end thereof, said strip being provided adjacent its extremity With a locking tongue for engaging the interior of the end of said inner portion adjacent said contiguously arranged openings.

2. A sealformed from a single sheet of metal bent to provide a housing consisting of outer and inner portions, the ends of said portions being provided with alined slots, and a strap formed upon one end of the outer portion and reduced in Width adjacent its end to provide shoulders adapted to contact the adjacent end of the housing, the reduced end of the strap having a locking tongue forinedtherein and adapted for engagement With the interior of the end of the inner portion of the housing when the parts are in locking position, the end upon which said strap is formed and a portion of the latter adjacent said end being thickened, and the portion of saidstrap adjacent said shoulders and tongue being likewise thickened.

VILLIAM L. KELLY.

Witnesses MICHAEL MORRIS, VILFORD SENSNEY.

Copies of this patent` may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

